A is van Os Igitabo by Autobahn is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Ifeza in Inyandiko Zisohoka Competition Category.

IfezaInyandiko Zisohoka· 2021

A is van Os Igitabo

by Autobahn

Client: Autobahn

Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Ifeza Winner in Inyandiko Zisohoka Category

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Colors

The Design

About A is van Os Igitabo

A is van Os ni igitabo kivuga ku mateka y'inyuguti z'ikilatini. Iki gitabo kigaragaza uko buri nyuguti yateye imbere mu bihe bine binyuranye mu mateka. Impinduka zishushanijwe hakoreshejwe imirongo isobanutse n'amabara akeye, ku buryo buri mpinduka yoroshye gukurikirana. Uburyo bwose bw'inyuguti bwa mbere bwabajwe mu ibuye n'intoki hanyuma bufotorwa, nk'ikimenyetso cy'inyuguti za mbere zabajwe mu rutare. Igifuniko gikomeye gifite ishusho y'ibuye irangijwe n'urukuta rw'amabuye mato, bituma hejuru yaryo hakorwaho neza. Iki gitabo gifite ubugari bwa milimetero 240 na milimetero 240.

The Recognition

About the Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Ifeza

A is van Os Igitabo ni uwegukanye Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Ifeza, ishimwe ridasanzwe ry'agaciro gakomeye ritangwa ku bishushanyo byo ku rwego rwo hejuru, byiza kandi bikora ku mutima. Abegukanye Ifeza ni ibihangano by'ubuhanga bukomeye kandi bifite guhanga kwinshi, bigaragaza ubuhanga bwimbitse, impano n'ubushishozi bw'ababihanze. A is van Os Igitabo biteganyijwe ko izaba igihangano cy'icyitegererezo, gifite ubunyamwuga bukomeye n'udushya twimbitse. Iki gishushanyo cyegukanye Ifeza ni igihangano kizwi kandi gishimwa, gifasha kugura imbibi z'ubuhanzi, ubumenyi, ubushushanyo n'ikoranabuhanga. A is van Os Igitabo ni igihangano benshi bifuza, gikangura ibyifuzo, gitanga amarangamutima meza kandi gitera igitangaza.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: A is van Os shows the development of each letter in four time periods in history. The changes are visualised in bright colours so they are easy to follow. Since the first letters were cut in stone, Autobahn hand carved all original letterforms in stone as a visual reference. The stone on the cover of the book is finished with a gravel coating so it becomes tactile. Besides the book Autobahn designed 3 typefaces which are free for download and can be used to send secret messages to friends in earlier forms of the alphabet.
Dimensions & Packaging: Width 240 mm x Depth 240 mm Height 10 mm
Tags: Autobahn, Typography, Design, Graphic, Alphabet, Writing, Dutch, History, Book, Children
Production Technology: Print: PMS 805, Reflex Blue
Paper: Arctic Volume 115gr
Hard cover: Cardboard wrapped in Wibalin Soft 300gr
Varnish: Spot-UV gravel coating on cover
Stones: Hand-cut and photographed
Design Challenge: To show this transition of the alphabet, Autobahn visualised the transformation for each letter with clear lines and color differences. Through this method, readers can easily follow the transformations, see how the letter developed and still see where it originated from. This aspect makes the book unique in its sort.
Research: Our alphabet has changed considerably over time. In short, it began 4,000 years ago with images carved into rock in the Sinai desert. This script (called Proto-Sinaitic) was adopted and modified by the neighboring Phoenicians (around 1500 BC). The Phoenicians were seafaring folk and granted the alphabet to the Greeks (around 800 BC); which made trading far easier. The Greeks slightly adapted the letter forms before handing them on to the Romans, who completed the alphabet. And it's this alphabet that we, in the Western world, still use today.
Inspiration: The initiative originated from the work ethos of Autobahn: text is image. Designer Rob Stolte was fascinated by the way his son was learning to write and would get him to copy the alphabet. A four year old's spatial insight is far from developed. They tend to write in different sizes, mirrored and upside down. It was during this process that Stolte recognised a number of alphabetical primordial forms. From there, he decided to design a series of objects explaining the history of our alphabet.
Project Duration: The project started in 2016 and was published in 2018 in Dutch. It was exhibited at the 65th Type Directors Club New York in 12 countries, received a Golden European Design Award and was nominated for a D&AD award and a Dutch Creativity award. The book is translated into French in 2020 and in English in 2021 (Q4).
Operation Flow: Text and image are insightful, worth knowing and in an appealing, hyper-hip style for kids; bright blue and almost fluorescent orange-red.
Design, drawings and text are coherent and consistent, this entire book exudes the basic principle of the often awarded Autobahn: text is image. A wonderful book for all children and others who love letters, history and design.
Team Members: Concept, design text and illustrations: Autobahn
Text: Bette Westera
Research and advice: Ben Haring
Advice and production: Drukkerij Wilco
Redaction, publishing and distribution: Uitgeverij Gottmer
Animation: Jochem Koopman
Documentary: Niels Mud
Product photography: Justina Nekrašaitė / De Monsterkamer